Some people have asked me what a Shiatsu inspired massage is, so here goes I will do my best explain…
Traditionally, Shiatsu is done with the client lying down on the futon. The practioner would sit next to them in Seiza position – which is on your knees with the buttocks resting on the heels and the spine up straight.
Next, the practitioner would do a Hara diagnosis to see which meridians are out of balance, then selecting two to work on specifically.
Now, I had a motorcycle accident about forty two years ago which resulted in damage to my knee. Over time, the flexibility of this knee has become reduced. Add to this an operation in 2023 to my other knee and as you can imagine, kneeling down next to a client with full weight resting on my knee joint is not an option for me anymore.
So a long time ago, I started to do my own version which is carried out on the massage couch.
A lot of the traditional Shiatsu techniques can still be used. For instance – the rocking, stretching, using my forearms, elbows, palms, thumbs and fingers to apply pressure to the pressure points, working along meridians and massaging the muscles.
The rocking technique is deeply relaxing and releasing. This involves one hand (which is referred to as the Mother hand) on the sacrum, which activates the para sympathetic nervous system and using the other hand to apply pressure over the back. It’s hard to explain just how soothing this can be unless you have actually experienced it yourself.
In my opinion and other’s opinion, this can be a very nurturing way of treating someone. The way it was explained to me when I was training is this. When a baby is crying, the first thing someone will do is pick them up and instinctively start a rocking motion to calm the baby down. Quite often this will work unless there is something else that they specifically want or need.
It works the same on adults too. This technique is very calming and releases tension in the neck and especially around the sacrum area. If you suffer from aches and pains in your back, tightness, tension around your shoulders, or pain in your sacrum, then this treatment could be very useful for you.
A lot of the work is done to the back area, with a little bit of attention across the buttocks and down the back of the legs and onto the feet. This helps to waken up the bladder meridian, which is the longest meridian in the body.
Turning over onto the other side, I would work on the arms, hands, shoulders, a little pressure on the Neurolymphatic points and a Indian head type massage to finish off.
This type of treatment helps to liven up the body and remove stale, stagnant energy. When this happens, you can experience a positive shift in the way you feel afterwards. It can be very relaxing and invigorating too.
I gave someone a shiatsu inspired massage recently (she had never had anything like this done before), and this is what she said afterwards. “Thank you so much for the treatment – it was amazing. I felt all light and free afterwards. I felt refreshed. My head was clear – there was none of the usual fuzziness that I experience and it also enabled me to be more in touch with my emotions.”
Now, this type of treatment may not be for everyone, but I think you will agree – that was quite a result from someone that was trying it for the first time.
Working with this type of energy can bring all kinds of things up. Quite often clients will get a headache afterwards, or it may start a cold off. I once had a lady burst out into tears half way through the treatment and I had to wait a while until she composed herself again. These types of reactions can happen sometimes and it is an indication that a deep healing is taking place.
There you go… I hope I have explained this reasonably well. But the best way to experience a Shiatsu inspired massage is to just book in and try it for yourself.